Material handling apparatus



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March 8, 1960 R. J. CORMIER 2,927,538

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed April 9, v195e 4 sheets-sheet 1 K :VT-*m88 Flea @anni FIGB idw .16 3)(- o). 2 Ill. 'l

INVENToR RICHARD J. CORMIER ATTORNEY March 8, 1960 R. J. coRMlER 2,927,538

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed April 9, 1956 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR RICHARD J. CORMIER ATTORNEY March s, 1960 R. J. CORMIER 2,927,538

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed April 9, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 92 9'4 -80 2`4 42 58 2:4 Niv 3451 INVENTOR RICHARD J. CORMIER i ATTORNEY March 8, 1960 R. J. coRMlER MATERIAL HANDLxNG APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 9, 1956 FIGIQ INVENTOR RICHARD J. CORMIER 'Mff ATTORNEY Unite This invention relates to a new and improved apparatus for handling materials, particularly panels, for spray painting, varnishing, or other operations, etc., and the principal object of the invention resides in the provision of an overhead conveyor system for handling materials which are normally in panel, sheet or board-like form, conveying the same over a longcourse in close arrangement in face-to-face relation, i.e.' in parallel planes to provide for drying while using a minimum of factory space or area; the provision of a conveyor system for moving articles seriatim slowly over a long course, i.e. in the neighborhood of a distance of one or two thousand feet, and then changing the angle of travel of each member to 'an edge-to-cdge co-planar`relation and speeding the travel thereof past or through a painting or varnishing area, including the provision of means for again returning the members to the original face-to-face alignment drying purposes without the necessity for using a great amount of space.

Further objects of the invention include the provision of a substantially continuous conveyor system including a series of slugs which are pushed along the course of the conveyor, as on an overhead monorail, for instance, each slug being provided with a rotatable' hanger member or the like for suspending an article to be processed therefrom, said articles being traveled along the main course of the system in sidc-by-side aligned Ycondition with the direction of travel being normal to the greatest dimension of the various pieces in order to'provide forthe greatest number of pieces being traveled in the smallest possible space, in combination with means for turning the pieces individually as they reach a processing station such as a spray-booth or the like, whereby said pieces proceed through the spray-booth or area in edgewise aligned coplanar condition, so that they may be easily sprayed or otherwise processed at each bro'ad side thereof, and at the same time providing for a greatly increased speed of travel for individual slugs bearing the pieces being processed; and the provision of a system as above described which is made in multiples, so that two coats of paint or varnishV may be applied to the individual States Patenti() 2,927,533 Patented Mar. Si, 19d@ Fig. 3 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary plan view looking inthe direction of arrow 3, Fig.. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5 5 of Fig'.r 4;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are sectional views on the respective lines in Fig. 4;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9' illustrating the workpiece hanger means;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged View of a portion of Fig. 3 illustrating the coaction between the traveling lugs on the power-operated means and on the various slugs;

VFig. 12 is a section on line 12-12 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a continuation of the apparatus shown in I Fig. 3;

Fig. 14 is a section on line 14--14 of Fig.l13;

Fig. 15 is a continuation of Fig. 13;

Fig. 16 is an enlarged view in elevation illustrating the progress of the workpieces on a downward incline, part being in section; l

Fig. 17 is asection on line 17-17 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 16 but showing the pieces traveling upwardly on an incline;

Fig. 19 is an enlarged section on line 19-19 of Figs. 20 and 21 are diagrammatic views illustrating the rotation of the work carriers; and V `Figs. 22 to 26 inclusive are diagrammatic illustrations of a modification of the linvention illustrating a more ,l fully automatic construction. whereby a long course of the conveyor ls usable for In many instances of highspeed modern production, as in parts for furniture, for instance, it is clearly advantageous to varnish or paint the parts as they pass a station, and to dry the parts while still traveling,

. to avoid costly handling, racking in drying rooms, and otherwise interrupting the ilow of the manufacturing process. Many problems are involved in setting up continuousy high-speed production lines, especially Where parts require a time interval for drying, and among these problems is that of providing suicient'factory floor space for the conveyor system. This invention solves this problem, among others.

Regular overhead conveying systems are chain driven throughout and since there can be no breaks in a chain conveyor, it has been impossible heretofore to change the speed and open and close the pack at dilerent locapieces without materially increasing the factory oor space required.

ed points in order to carry out the main purposes of the invention and also in particular, means for rotating the same in various combinations of parts as will be made clearer hereinafter. 1 n

Y,Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be hadto the accompanying drawings, in which p 1 Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating the entire system; A; v

"Fig, 2 is a view in side elevation, looking in the div rectilof arrow Zin Fig. 1; J li.'

tions on the conveyor, which is a prime object of the present invention. The individual trolleys or slugs in the present case, to'be later described, are separated and can be separated or moved together between the open pack and closed pack portions of the drive of the conveyor. Separate drives or varying speed drives can be used from one central control system or coordinated to give the required increase or decrease in speed to different parts of the conveyor; this being coordinated to opening and closing the packing of the slugs or trolleys. It is also pointed out that the units being handled which may be in the form of panels may be automatically turned at between the open pack and closed pack situations, but there may be'times when it is preferred to turn the panels by hand without the use of automatic turning equipment. The point is that by means of the present invention an overhead conveyor is utilized which may be coordinated to increase and decrease thespeed, the increased speed resulting in the separation of trolleys or slugs and in an open pack relationship; while decrease in speed of the trolleys'or slugs results in closer spacing or close packing of the panels. The open pack vrequires an increase in speed to provide the opening or the. close packing is desired, the speed of the, trolleys f or slugs naturally` has tov be slowed down or decreased. Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown in general a long sinnous conveying system which is illustrated as generally continuous and having two separate processing areas ygen--` erally indicated at it) and 12,` these processing areas being spray-booths or the like where an operator is stationed for the purpose of operating upon workpieces driven past by the conveyor, as for instance inthe direction of arrow 14 in Fig. 1. There may be one orany number of these stations. l

The individual workpieces are indicated` bythe Vletter W and it will be noted that these workpieces are aligned in parallel multi-planar face'-to-face formation, one after the other, it being assumed for the purposes of illustra' tion of the invention that the workpieees are generally hat and rectangular in section. However, at the areas ofthe processing stationsltl and 12, these pieces are .turned into uni-planar relationship, so that the broad sides of the individual workpieces are presented parallel to the line of travel rather than normally thereto as is the' case during the elongated portion of the travel of the workpieces in the sinuous areas which are generally indicated by the reference numeralsl 16 and 18 respectively. y 4

y This construction is perhaps better illustrated in Fig. 2 wherein the workpieces shown at the processing area are clearly shown as being broadside, passing the observer, whereas in the remainder of the conveying system, they are shown in edgerelationship to the observer.

It is an important part of the presentinvention that the relative speed of.` feed of the workpieces W in the areasy 16 and 18 on theorie hand and theprocessing areas lll and 12 on the other hand be clearly differf entiated, an example of, this differentiationbeing, for

Each slug Mhas threaded into its lower edge a swivel-v pin 38 which depends therefrom, terminatingin a head 40 supporting a swivel block 42. The swivel blocks 42 are preferably square and provided with an upper shoulder or the like facing the bottom edge of the respective slug 24; and interposed therebetween there is a friction washer 44 (see Fig. 7) so as to provide against free g swinging of the rotary blocks 42 on their pin 38.

Swivellydepending from each of blocks 42, there is a double hook illustrated at 46, l445, these hooksrbeing swivelly held to thev respective blocks 42" by means of fasteners 4S, whichallow the hooks 46 to swingback and forth for a purpose to be made more apparent herein after. The hooks 46 are widely spaced and are connected by a brace Sil and a handhold 52.

As shown in Fig. 4, the hooks are used to support and suspend the workpieces W by a flange or rib 5d. This ilange or rib may be a partV ofthe workpiece W, or' it may merely be an attachment for the particular purpose of providing for the:A suspension of the workpiece. Any otherfway of suspending the worltpieces may of course bey used withoutdcpartingffrom the scope of the invention; l v

VIt will be-'see'n that the workpieces may swivel on a vertical axis'in pin 3S' andthe woricpieces may also swivel to alimiteddegree on a' horizontal axis which'is through the'A centers of fasteners 4S. The latter construction pro vides forthe workpieces remaining in correct vertical posin tioni when traveling; downwardly as in Fig. 16 and upwardly'as-infFig. 18.I

,The individualy slugs 24 are drivenl forwardly along the' lmono-rail'which has the shape shown intFigs. 1 and 2 merely byfpressingfoneagainst the other, and-the means instance,v atraveling of 1% feet per unit 'of time in then' areas 16 and 18 anda travel of lOl/2 feetfper unitoff timein the processing areas l0 and'l. Although other relationships cornewithin the scope of the invention, this particular relationship has been found to be particularly eicacious vin the spraying of wooden panels for the for driving tlie slugs' willlbe described hereinafter.

Each workcarrying block 42v is provided with four radially outwardly extending lugs, and these are located-in a single horizontal plane. The lugs areindicated by the referencev numerals 56, 56 and`5858, those at 58 being furniture industry, allowing plenty of time for complete spraying'of the parts at the stations 10 and 12 and a complete drying therebetween without the necessity of utilizing drying ovens or enormous'areas, of factory space as is otherwise the case. At the position marked A or: thereabouts, there may be a loading and unloading stationV Where the completed, double-coated;members: may be'f Withdrawn from their carriers and the new-as1yet unprocessed members applied tothe system.

Another feature of the invention is also shown in, Fig. 2 wherein the line of advance of the workpieces W is upwardly from station lil to the general sinuous level at. Zii. In lthe area 2li, the sinuous passages shown in Fig. 1 are'located well above the factory tloor which may be therefore utilized for other purposes. At the 4end of the long sinuous passage 20, the system descends to station l2 and thereafter again rises to the general sinuousarea 22. Theloading station is indicated in Fig.` 2 also.

Each workpiece W is shown as suspended from over-A head, by what is herein referred to as a slug there the nature ofv trolleys, being indicated generally at 2,4 and each slug is provided witha forward wheeled truck 26 and a like rear wheeled -truclrV 2S, each truck being. pivotally mounted by a vertical pin Si? best shown in Fig. 5, these pins 3G being screwed into the slugsV asA longer-than those at 56, as it is clearly shown (see partic'ularly Figs. 9, 10,120 and 21). A very simple means is provided forengagng these respective lingers and rotatingitheA carriers 42 and with them the workpieces W from: thel face-to-face relationship asY shown in the sinu-` `ous'parts ofthe systemt'o the edge-to-edge relationship at the" operating stations 10 and l2. This means comprises a ngerr which may be mounted upon a framework in any way' desired. Itsv position is suchas to engage onejofrthe-lug's56*(orpossibly'SS) so as'to cause turning of-'thef-carrer 42 and with it-itsvworkpeceas for instanceffr'omzthesolid line position in Fig. 9 through the dotted line positionithereof intofthe solid line position ofi`Pig'l 10. This construction will not'provide for a complete turni and therefore means is provided for completing this action. This means includes a flat spring 62 which isdisplaced as shownin dotted lines in'Fig. 9 frorrifitsfnorrnal positionagainst a dat side of the-carrier block;l` 42 during a partial' turningI of the block. However,L whenr onel of the corners of the lattervhavev passed a centralfposition under influencefof nger 60, then the spring causes? asnapping action with respect to the block` 42, completing the 90 turn to the position of Fig. 1 0. Spring. 622; may be" attachedv toV a fixed partY of the frame- .vlfo'rlr7 at'eanyfdesired lot-zatio'n,V but it `is free-ended -as Ishown`v iniFigsisgandlltlfor thfpurpose described. K

, lll/iththey workpieces in -thefnow uni-planar relationship, thyfmay-besprayedat either or both sides thereofat the station 10 but it is preferred that they should be sprayedE or: otherwise: processed at one side onlythereof and that they should be reversed or: turned for sprayingor otherwis'efprocessing;the-opposite side; This handlefpoi'tioii 52fand1swin'gngthe workpiecel andl its block 42 through the arc necessary to achieve this pure poser After both sides have thus beenfsprayed:theblocleel;

being traveled in spaced relation to both preceding'and succsive slugsand workpieces, by means to be described, encounters a successive linger 64 (Fig. 15) which impinges upon one of the lugs 56 or S8 as the case may be to again turn the block 90 again in a clockwise direction to assume the solid line position of Fig. 15, whereupon the conveyor again travels the individual slugs in abutted relationship throughout the entire long sinuous area 16 to the second station 10, wherein the operation as described once more takes place. Thereafter the pieces proceed along the sinuous course -at 18 to the loading or unloading station A where they are removed by an operator and a new piece W is positioned.

Now referring to Figs. 3, 4, 8, 13 and l5, the power-V operated mechanism is shown in these figures for traveling the slugs both yalongthe slow speed courses 16 and 18 and the high speed areas' at 10 and 12. A shaft 71) may be driven by any power means desired such as an electric motor, and this in turn drives at a relatively high speed a sprocket or the like 72 which drives a chain or the like 74 in the direction of the arrow 76 (Fig. -3).

At widely spaced intervals on chain '74, there are provided some special lugs 78 which extend laterally outwardly to engage specially provided lugs 80 on the slugs 24 (see pa-rticularly Fig. 11). The chain 74 extends the length of station 10, so that the lugs 78 will engage lugs 80 to progress the individual slugs at a high rate of speed and in spaced relation throughout the length of the station 10. It is understood that the individual slugs 24 are entering as for instance from the right-hand end of Fig. 3 and in endto-end abutted relation, and the leading end of one slug engages the trailing end of the preceding slug so as to drive the entire range of slugs throughout the area 18 to the area of sprocket 72. It is also to be understood that the chain 74 is proceeding at a high rate of speed with respect to the speed of travel of slugs 24 as far as the area of the sprocket 72. As soon as a lug 78 has pushed a slug 24 a suiiicient distance away from the succeeding slug 24, the linger 60 is engaged at the right instant to turn the .workpieces as above described without interference between one workpiece and another.

The chain '74 thus progresses the individual slugs in separated condition at a relatively rapid rate of speed throughout the station 10. The chain 74 is arranged to drive an end sprocket 82 (see Fig. 13) and by means of a reduced gearing which may consist of af'chain 84 and sprocket 86, a second chain 88 is driven at a much slower rate of speed. Chain 88 is p-rovided with a number of closely spaced lugs 90 which travel in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 13 and engage in the shoulder 92 which is formed by a recess 94 in each slug, to drive the individual slug forwardly and to cause it to abut the preceding slug as above described to force the slugs and workpieces throughout the sinuous area 16.

The action of the two chains 74 and 88 is that the same a-re timed so that as a lug 78 of chain 74 leaves the lug 30 of the respective slug 24, a lug 90 of sprocket 86 engages in the shoulder 92 and the power is thus transferred from one chain to the other, driving the slugs forwardly and changing the speed, so that the same is considerably reduced. This is accomplished bythe means shown without interference between the chains or chain lugs.

It will be noted that the lugs S6 and 58 are of different lengths and the reason for this resides in the fact that if theoperator correctly processes the workpieces as above described, the same will be changed by the rotation of the block 42 lfrom the uni-planar position thereof to the faceto-face relationship as by finger 64. However, supposing that by some error the operator had occasioned an additional turning of the block 42 and workpiece W to the solid line position of Fig. l5 by mistake, the parts are so arranged that finger 64 will fail to engage lugs 56 and thus the workpieces will become correctly aligned,

regardless of errors on v the part of the operator4 ('see, Figs. 20 and 2l). Such an error as described ldoes not; effect the operation on the workpieces because the spray-' ing or other operation is accomplished as described above. A good operator might be apt to turn the block 42 and workpiece too fast so that itover-travels in ,its rotational motion to the incorrect alignment prior to reaching the nger 64 and therefore the short andl long lugs 56 and 58` are provided to automatically overcome any such errorson the Vpart of the operaton It is preferred that the shaft 70 shall be drivenv by a:

variable speed gear reducer or the like in order to adjust the operation of the system to the best speed ,possible for the particular operation provided at the stations 10 and 12.

If it is desired for the rotation of the workpieces' Wl 104. In this case, all of the four lugs 104 are the` saine.V

length, as it is not necessary to have different' iing'er lengths for the automatic operation to be described.

A quarter turn on the work is accomplished by this means, so that the vwork W is now in the position shown in Fig. 23 and it has been turned in the direction indicated by arrow 186 While it is still travelling in the direction indicated by arrow 168. In the showing of Fig. 22, the operator may spray the edge and when the work changes to the position of Fig. 23, he may spray surface 112.

At the next station, another finger 122 will turn the work in the direction of arrow 116 to the position illustrated in Fig. 24 while the work is still progressing in the direction of arrow 118, and in this position the edge at 120 may be sprayed by the operator.

Another finger 126 then turns the work another quarter turn where the surface 124 may now be sprayed and thereafter the finger 126 again turns the carrier 43 and the work to the position shown in Fig. 26, whereupon the workpieces are brought 'closely together as above described and proceed throughout the system in order to be dried and to receive the second process at station 12 which is a duplicate of that described.

Referring now to Fig. 19, there is shown a pivoted lug or stop 128 which may be pivoted as at 13G on the mono-rail 34. The purpose of this stop is to prevent retrograde motion of the slugs as they rise as shown in Fig. 18. These stops may pivot in a clockwise direction in Fig. 19 and not in a counter-clockwise direction and thus it will be seen that in case of a gap between slugs 24, the stops128 will prevent the slugs and workpieces from sliding back down to the right in Fig. 18.

Referring to Fig'. 16, showing the individual slugs 24 traveling downwardly, there is a friction spring 132 which prevents the individual slugs 24 from sliding downwardly at too great a speed in the event of a gap between slugs. This spring is also shown in Fig. 17 and it will be seen that it is attached to the under side of the top'portion of the mono-rail 34.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A system for continuously processing a series of work pieces comprising a combination of an endless overhead conveyor track, means for moving the work pieces along the track, each said means including a slug, each slug including meansy for suspending a work piece in a swivelling relation so that it may travel in faoe tofface'Y closely packed relationship, yor in edge to edge aligned :spaced relationship, and said conveyor means including" means for increasing speed of travel of said slugs to increasethe relative spacing to an openv pack, sd means also'- beingfcapahle ofv slowing the speed of s'ad slugsj to al closer relationship in closed packed relatn'ofthe'` workpieces.

22 system for continuously processing aseries of flatlcworlc-pieces" including an endless overhead conveyor for suspendingl and moving said work pieces along the conveyor, a' series of trolleys or slugs mounted on said onveyor,` andV means suspending the worldI pieces from the? trolleysl or slugs, the' latter including means providing" fori-turning the'V pices tov align them 'in a single plane :or to arrange the same in a face to face parallel rela# t'onship,- and means for increasing the speed of travel a'tA selected portions ofvs'aid conveyor for spreading out thev work pieces in an open pack relationship together with means for thereafter decreasing the speed of travel ofthe trolleys or slugs to arrange the work'pieces in a close packed relationship.

3.A conveying system vfor processing work pieces including an endless overhead conveyor, a series of trolley elements movable along said conveyor, means to travel said elements along the conveyor, a swivel Work Y piece support on each trolley element,the work pieces being individually suspended from saidsupports', andv meansv to travel the'- individual trolley elements selec-f tivelva'tincreased speed or at a deereaedspe'ed, szidf` meansbeingarranged at certain predetermined points along the length of the conveyor whereby said trolley: elements are controlled' as to close spacing'stndy peni 

